SGPT Interviews Empire State rider Jeff Naville

Jeff Naville isn’t your average endurance athlete. At 57 years old, he balances being a husband, father to six children, and grandfather to four—all while taking on physically demanding challenges like the Empire State Ride, a grueling 500+ mile cycling event to raise funds for cancer research.

Despite not having a strong athletic background growing up, Jeff’s determination and training approach helped him push through the long days on the bike. In this interview, he shares insights into his preparation, the toughest moments of the ride, and advice for anyone considering a similar endurance challenge.

JN: I am a 57 year old husband and father of 6 children ranging in age from 30 to 6. I also have 4 grandchildren and looking forward to more in the future.

SGPT: Did you have an athletic background growing up?

JN: Not really, I did a couple of years of wrestling in high school with a couple of very good coaches and made some lifelong friends.

SGPT: How did you train for the Empire State Ride bike ride event?

JN: At the beginning I stayed on a strength training routine and then started adding time in the saddle of my bike. Each week I would ride a half hour two days and then a longer ride on Saturday. I added about 5 miles a week to the long rides. I also added time to the weekly rides as I went along.

This began to add up time wise – so the strength training had to taper down some. I had Josh Honsberger with the AGOGE keeping me on track and adjusting my training as it went along. The Empire State Ride also has some training suggestions available. One thing that was tough to do where I live was to simulate the hills I would see on the actual route.

I got motivation and built daily disclipline with the SGPT Underground Bunker. Also, in the past I attended an event with Coach Brad Mcleod, who at one point when I wanted to quit explained to me that quitting is a choice. Stop and think before you quit, is that really what you want to do? And of course the answer was NO. I have carried that with me for many years and when things get hard, like they will, especially on a 500+ mile bike ride, I just go back to that time and all the tough times it has gotten me through since and take the next step forward.

For the actual ride – they also give you a mentor coach and the founder and his wife make sure the greet and speak to anyone and everyone and ride along. I am going again this year and I am very hopeful that Renee Petruna (SGPT athlete) gets there. It would be exciting to see two of us there.

SGPT: Tell us a little about the event? Where was it?

JN: The event is a fundraiser for cutting edge cancer research at Rosewell park this research has a worldwide impact.

The event is a 500+ mile bike ride over 7 days. The event starts in New York City and ends in Niagara Falls. I believe our ride was 565 miles total.

SGPT: What was the hardest part of the event?

JN: After the newness wears off, the fun of figuring out the day to day routine that will make a person successful – the middle days come where you know you still need to ride 5 more days and have a Century Day (100 miles) in there to complete.

But even then – the scenery and people on the ride make it such an enjoyable event that those days are enjoyable. It rained one day and we had a windy day, both days were challenging but I think that actually made completing those days feel very uplifting.

SGPT: Living in New York with a harsh winter did you train indoors also?

JN: As I said above early on strength training, with 2 weekday rides that could be done in the evening, then one long ride on the weekend, adding miles each week. I also trained indoors due to weather some days.

Indoors I use an IFit bike and would stack workouts back to back the longest total distance I did indoors was 60 miles in one day. That was a mental challenge. I think my longest bike ride outdoors was also 60 miles. Indoors it was easier to pick interval rides which also helped in my preparation.

SGPT: What is one thing you wish you would have done to get ready for the Empire State Ride event?

JN: I wish I would have trained outdoors more, on windy and rainy days I trained indoors. While the indoor bike interval training was helpful I think I could have benefited from training in outdoor conditions more, not dangerous conditions but wind and light rain outdoors would have better prepared me for those days

SGPT: Any tips for up and coming athletes that want to do a long bike ride event?

JN: Go ahead and commit. This is a fundraiser ride the earlier you commit the earlier you can meet your fundraising goal. This will allow more mental focus on the physical training I think.

I also think meeting the fundraising goal is a big win and source of motivation to train. All those people supported you and now your job is to perform.
The ride provides a tent and air mattress each evening that is set up and torn down and moved for you to the next overnight stop.

Once on the ride there are stops every 20 miles or so with snacks and drinks. Also, breakfast and dinner are provided with a program each evening so you are ready for the next day. A person needs to train to spend that amount of time on the bike day after day but it is doable and really feels great to accomplish the task.

SGPT: Did you use any gear that you think helped you finished the event?

JN: I did spend some extra money on good cycling bibs, I prefer those to shorts and they can be costly but at 60 to 100 miles a day the padding is helpful. At the ride there was a company who provided some samples to each rider of Bumalicious lube to help with chafing.

I was glad I had it by day 3. It is one thing to get the rest day during the week to let your body heal but riding day after day was something I had not done in training.

Also, I did use wool socks that I have found to be just excellent all around socks called Danish Endurance. I wear those every day.

SGPT: What book /audio book are you reading now?

JN: I recently read the alchemist and after reading it I even read it to my children.

SGPT: Do you have a good podcast you have been listening to?

JN: I like to listen to Andrew Huberman Labs to see what the latest science is related to training and the human body.

SGPT: Many thanks for the interview Jeff, you are an inspiration to all of the athletes at Team SGPT.

JN: Thank you, I am lucky to be able to do this and thank you for being supportive and encouraging people to take on new challenges.

I am sincere when I say thank you. Most of my life I had no idea we could do hard things. I was not raised that way, in fact, my aunt and uncle raised me and – I wouldn’t want this published of course, some times when I wanted to do things, they would tell me, you’ll just quit, why do you want to do that?

I grew up being told the required mile run in gym class in 9th grade was basically insurmountable- I believed all that- it wasn’t until many years later that I even heard about Navy seals or anything like that, I had heard of marathons again they were basically deemed stupidity where I came from- so thank you for really putting a name and a face with doing hard things- it has opened so many doors for me- and I am sure you have done even more for many others! Thanks!